Snö's presence confused the shadow-mare. It was odd for the youngling to stay in any one place for so long, and it was still surprising for the Empress when she glanced over her herd and her daughter's light pelt was found. She lacked many motherly emotions, of course, aside from pride. After all, Snö was her creation, and she had grown into a lovely, racist, filly, one that any mother should be proud of. And of course the shade was glad to have such a one as a member of her herd, a member of her organization. Snö was proving herself to be quite worthy of the title of princess, quite worthy of her inclusion into the Plague. But the shadow-mare did not know if she should tell her daughter such. What was the protocol for talking to one's offspring, anyway? Should she express her love (ha!) or remain distant? Should she demand more from Snö simply because the flicka was her kin?

It was far too much to worry about. Still, when her daughter's voice echoed over the snows and through the valley that was their home, the jackal's auds pricked eagerly toward the sound. It was not a scream of fear, not the cry of intruders. It did, however, call her, and there was a sense of urgency, and so she set off at a canter, her pistons beating a rhythm into the hard ground beneath her. It was a nice day, with the sun glaring down from the skies above, a gentle breeze caressing her pelt as she ran. Well, it was a nice day to she who was used to the chilly northern lands. For any southerners that chose to venture to her lands, they would find it rather frigid for Tallsun.

Whatever she had expected when Snö came into view, it was not what she saw. The tall, dark stallion that stood with her daughter had rather rudely and loudly denounced her leadership. She supposed that, in all fairness, she couldn't really blame him. After all, she had left them first. So why was he here now? Was he back to grovel at her feet, having realized that she was truly in power to stay? If so, her respect for the engineer would decrease exponentially. She would rather he have stayed with them even through the difficult times - after all, who was to say that he would not run off again when things got rough? Even more surprising, though, was the pegasus with him. She had the small of sand and heat on her, and the shade placed her in the Throat. Amber gaze looked her mare over, then flickered to Ulrik, unreadable. "Ulrik," she said in way of greeting. "To what do we owe the pleasure?"

"Talk talk talk."